Why do baleen whales have two blowholes and toothed whales have only one?
Scientists aren’t sure. One theory behind this difference between the two types of whales is related to their use of echolocation—using sound waves to find their food and sense the environment around them. Toothed whales tend to rely heavily on echolocation, while that ability in baleen whales is poorly developed. It is thought that the air passageways in toothed whales have been altered over time to allow for better sound production for purposes of echolocation. One of the results from this change in the air passageways is the reduction from two blowholes to one.
